The Radford girls basketball team got out to a fast start, let the lead yo-yo up and down in the middle, and ended strong last night in a victory over Roosevelt.

Radford scored the first 13 points of the game and Marlena Malepeai scored nine of her 19 points in the fourth period as the Rams beat Roosevelt, 60-46, in the first round of the Hawaiian Airlines/HHSAA Girls Basketball Division I State Championships at Farrington.

"I told the girls we just have to keep going at it, going at it and fight all the way through," said Radford coach Tani Dutro. "It's the state tournament. There is no tomorrow. So you just have to play like it's your last game."

Radford, the O'ahu Interscholastic Association runner-up, will play No. 4 seed Lahainaluna today at 6 p.m. in the quarterfinals at Farrington.

Six Rams players scored as they took a 13-0 lead with 3:15 left in the first period.

"The 11, 13 points they got in the beginning, it wasn't about them making things," said Roosevelt coach Bob Keanini. "It was about us missing and not defending correctly, of course. But again that's a credit to them. They came out with a lot of fire and energy."

Radford's advantage reached 25-6 midway through the second after an inside bucket by Bui Baravilala.

"We were feeling good in the beginning," Malepeai said. "We had to believe in ourselves and keep pushing and not get down on our mistakes."

Roosevelt, the OIA's No. 3 team, ended the half on a 9-2 run to get within 27-15, and scored the first eight points of the second half to get within 27-23 with 6:10 left in the third.

"We came out firing and we knew (Roosevelt) had the ability to come back," Dutro said. "So at halftime I told the girls you have to be prepared because they aren't going to roll over and let us take the game easily."

The Rams extended the lead to 39-27 after three periods and let it get down to six early in the fourth before finishing strong.

Radford (15-1) was 4 of 5 from the field and 13 of 23 from the line in the fourth.

Brittini Fuller scored all 12 of her points in the second half and Baravilala also finished with 12 for Radford, which beat Roosevelt last week in the OIA tournament semifinals.

Tasia Kamakawiwo'ole scored 12 points for Roosevelt (11-5).

ROOSEVELT (11-5) 4 11 12 19 — 46

RADFORD (15-1) 17 10 12 21 — 60

ROOSEVELT — Dianna Zane 5, Tiana Sugui 4, Samantha Murakami 0, Kathleen Nakata 2, Jayna Tasaka 5, Tyana Nakasone 3, Kelcie Namba 0, Keely Bitanga 7, Tasia Kamakawiwo'ole 12, Cierra Kapea 2, Mikela Thoemmes 6. Totals 16 11-22 46.

RADFORD — Melanie Alofaituli 0, Itali Lindsey 2, Bui Baravilala 12, Antionette Carradine 0, Disa Brown 1, Marlena Malepeai 19, Brittini Fuller 12, Chelsea Villanueva 4, Ja'Kira Leggett 0, Marsharen Dupont 4, Jasmine Mailo 0, TaNitra Byrd 6. Totals 20 20-39-60.

3-point goals: Roosevelt 3 (Tasaka, Nakasone, Zane).